Sheepwash Urban Park
Encyclopedia
Sheepwash Urban Park is a Local Nature Reserve
(LNR), situated in Sandwell
Metropolitan Borough, in the West Midlands conurbation
of the United Kingdom. It forms part of the Black Country Urban Forest
.
, with main entrances at Sheepwash Lane and John's Lane, close to Dudley Port. It is bounded to the south-west by the West Coast Main Line
, and on other sides by housing estates.
The site was originally used for waste disposal, landfill and as a brickworks and was redeveloped in the 1980s. It extends to about 37 hectares.
flows through the park from south to north, close to its western edge. It is flanked by a length of the River Tame Way. It feeds a number of lakes of varying sizes, which help relieve flooding along the river. These and the surrounding wetland, grassland and woods provide an important urban habitat. Some of the original brickworks buildings are still discernible around the lakes, which have islands to act as wildlife havens.
Large numbers of wild flowers, small mammals and amphibians are to be found, along with varied insect life. The council claims that 164 bird species have been recorded on the site since 1985. There is also fishing. The park is much used by Black Country schools as an environmental studies resource.
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
(LNR), situated in Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
Metropolitan Borough, in the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
of the United Kingdom. It forms part of the Black Country Urban Forest
Black Country Urban Forest
The Black Country Urban Forest is a partnership of the voluntary sector and local government with the aim of making urban forestry the characteristic landscape of one of England's industrial areas, The Black Country....
.
Location
The park is located to the south of Great BridgeGreat Bridge, West Midlands
Great Bridge is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell. It is situated in Tipton, near the border of West Bromwich, and it is within the metropolitan county of the West Midlands.-Origins and history:...
, with main entrances at Sheepwash Lane and John's Lane, close to Dudley Port. It is bounded to the south-west by the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, and on other sides by housing estates.
The site was originally used for waste disposal, landfill and as a brickworks and was redeveloped in the 1980s. It extends to about 37 hectares.
Features
The Oldbury Arm of the River TameRiver Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
flows through the park from south to north, close to its western edge. It is flanked by a length of the River Tame Way. It feeds a number of lakes of varying sizes, which help relieve flooding along the river. These and the surrounding wetland, grassland and woods provide an important urban habitat. Some of the original brickworks buildings are still discernible around the lakes, which have islands to act as wildlife havens.
Large numbers of wild flowers, small mammals and amphibians are to be found, along with varied insect life. The council claims that 164 bird species have been recorded on the site since 1985. There is also fishing. The park is much used by Black Country schools as an environmental studies resource.